This invention relates generally to locking devices, and more specifically to locking devices for securing the wheels on a bicycle or similar apparatus. It is common knowledge that bicycles are quite susceptible to theft, and a large variety of locking devices for securing bicycles are available and well known in the art. Some such locking devices are designed to lock the mechanical drive mechanism of the bicycle to prevent an unauthorized person from operating the drive mechanism to ride the bicycle away. However, since bicycles are relatively light weight, they can be picked up and carried off easily when the drive mechanism is locked. Therefore, many other locking devices have been developed to secure the bicycle to an immovable object to prevent unauthorized persons from carrying the bicycle away. As bicycles became more valuable, component parts, such as wheels, brake mechanisms, and derailling and shifting mechanisms also became popular items for theft. It is not uncommon for thieves to remove such components from bicycle frames, even when the frames are secured to solid objects. Therefore, it became necessary to also secure the components, primarily the wheels and derailleur and shift mechanisms of the bicycles as well as the frames to prevent loss from theft. Therefore, locking devices have been developed to not only lock the frames to an immovable object, but to also lock the wheels to such immovable objects to secure the bicycles and components from theft.
One common device for securing the frame and the wheels to an immovable object is an elongated cable in combination with a padlock, which cable can be threaded through the wheels and frame of the bicycle and then locked to an immovable object. While devices such as this elongated cable and padlock are quite effective, there are inherent disadvantages associated with their use. For example, they are heavy and cumbersome to use and become a burden to carry on the bicycle. A number of manufacturers began manufacturing quick detachable wheels that can be quickly removed from the bicycle frame, so that a bicycle owner could lock the frame of a bicycle to an immovable object and easily remove the wheels from the frame to carry them along with him until he returned to use the bicycle again. Obviously, while such a solution to the problem of theft of wheels and related components is effective, it is not always desirable for a person to carry the wheels of his bicycle whenever the bicycle is not in use an an alternative to carrying a cumbersome locking device when it is in use. Also, there are a number of quite strong and secure locking and anchoring devices available for permanent fixture to sidewalks and buildings for securing bicycle frames, and many institutions, such as schools, libraries, store, and the like have installed them for the convenience of their bicycle-riding customers. However, most of such devices still only attach to the bicycle frame. Therefore, if a person desires to use such devices, in order to protect the valuable bicycle components from theft, a person must still either carry the cable and padlock to secure the wheels or remove the wheels and carry them along.
It would be much more desirable to secure the wheels to the bicycle frame in such a manner that they could not be removed from the frame by unauthorized persons, yet would not interfere with the operation of the bicycle and could be easily removed by the bicycle owner for maintenance, repair, and the like.